The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing an antiseptic applicator. An antiseptic applicator is used to apply an antiseptic agent to a desired surface thereby preparing the surface for an antiseptic procedure or treatment.
Antiseptic and antibacterial agents are commonly used in the treatment of various injuries, such as cuts and abrasions. These agents are also commonly applied to various surfaces in preparation for sterile or antiseptic procedures. For example, a common pre-operative procedure in the medical industry involves rubbing alcohol, iodine or peroxide on a skin surface to kill bacteria and thus reduce the chance of infection. Other common practices include wiping down a chair or table surface with an antiseptic agent prior to exposing a patient or instruments to the surface.
Typically, an applicator, such as a cotton swab or foam pad, is soaked with an antiseptic that must be poured from a bottle or other container. This step requires that the user remove the lid of the container and the foil seal to access the antiseptic. In an emergency situation, or in a situation where the one of the user's hands is occupied, the user is required to free both hands to access the antiseptic agent. Furthermore, once the bottle or other container is opened, the sterility of the bottle is compromised often resulting in excess waste of otherwise useful antiseptic agent.
Following these steps, the antiseptic is commonly poured into an open, secondary container which provides a pool into which the applicator is dipped or soaked. The open, secondary container may include a dish or small bowl having a large opening through which the applicator is passed. In an emergency situation the user must take caution to prevent bumping or disturbing the secondary container so as to prevent a spill of the antiseptic. In the event that the antiseptic agent is spilled, additional antiseptic must be provided thereby requiring the user to once again access the container or bottle of antiseptic.
In other procedures, an antiseptic agent is applied directly to a surface from the bottle or other container, and is then spread and applied with the applicator. During these procedures, the user must take precautions to control the amount of antiseptic used so as to contain the antiseptic and avoid wasting materials.
For some procedures, a portion of the applicator that contacts the desired surface is held directly in the hand of the user. For example, where the applicator is a wipe and the surface is a table top, the user generally holds the wipe in their hand and rubs the surface with the wipe. The proximity of the user's hand to the table surface presents the danger of contaminating the newly sanitized surface with the user's hand. While the user may choose to wear protective gloves or wash their hands prior to applying the antiseptic, in an emergency situation the user may not have sufficient time to take the necessary precautions.
Thus, while techniques currently exist that are used for applying an antiseptic agent to a desired surface, challenges still exist. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.